I did it!

As I talked about in my last post, I went on the 'Mom's Camp out'.  It was a canoe trip and I promised to tell you all about it....Phew...I'll be typing slow as my shoulders down to my finger nails are sore!

So we meet in the church parking lot(is there anyone that does not meet in a church parking lot?) and load up.  We had 21 adults and 32 scouts?  Something like that.  Needless to say, a lot of people.  Now our troop assigns kids to cars.  Kids dont get to pick cars.  I like this plan. Although my GF and I would have not complained if we didn't have our sons in the car with us. 

Now we dont try to caravan because there are just to many cars.  some with lead feet, some with out.  we each have a map along with a list of all leaders cell phone numbers.  2.5 hour trip and we have to stop for dinner.  I dont think that McDonalds will ever recover :)  I wonder what they thought when they saw all of us walking up to the door!  The trip went fine(not like last year when one of the trailers got Three! flat tires!!)  We were only delayed once when the road was closed by a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE accident.  It was very scary!  This showed us why we had a list of cell phone numbers.  After sitting for a few minutes, we received a phone call from our SM who was doing a head count.  It could have very easily been one of us in the accident.  Thank god it wasn't and we all said a prayer for those that were involved. 

So we get to our campsite.  Its raining and its dark.  We have our rain gear easily accessible so off we go to pitch our tent.  Did it very quickly.  It was raining but slowed down a little.  Mother nature must have been watching us!  Tents pitched, tent organized, air mattresses blown up(hush)

It was quite interesting watching the boys.  With seemingly very little direction, they moved picnic tables, assembled big tall dining tents?  They didn't have sides but did have tops to them.  then the assembled the cook area, and only when they were done with all of that, were they able to set up their tents.   We looked like a military campground.  11 scout pup tents!


I slept horrible..I think it was because the rain was so loud!  I wasn't cold, heck was quite comfortable.  It was just so loud!

Next morning we were woken up by one of the scouts and his bugle.  WOW!  He played beautifully and he's only a first year!  So a quick breakfast...wait, what am I talking about.  I knew this part would be hard for me.  I want a quick breakfast and to go go go go!  Well, that is not how it works. 

Each patrol makes their breakfast.  So, they get all of their gear out, all of the food, their stoves etc etc.  Yes, even the youngest patrol, made up of those little bitty 11 yr olds, are playing with a stove!  :)  Once breakfast is made and eaten, then everything has to be washed and put away.  Wait!Why can't they do this at home????

So, we are finally off.  We have, at least my GF and I, and most of the other adults, have packed extra stuff, like clothes, etc for the trip.

So, we are lined up in the mud! and all of the boys are pairing up with each other, you know, best friend with best friend.   Leaders come along and inform all of the boys that if they have never canoed before they will be paired up with  someone who has, and of the youngest group, they will be paired up with older boys or leaders.  Period!  And, there was no complaining about this.  No one whined or anything.  They just did it! 

Now my GF and I were very very very nervous and she was terrified we were going to tip.  Just getting in the canoe was scary!!!!  But, we did it, that is we got in without tipping and actually moved forwards.  I was overall, totally impressed with ourselves.  We never went sideways or backwards, and never ran into the shore! 
We did hang back from the rest of the crowd though.  It made me extremely nervous to have that many canoes around me.  (canoeing accident years ago with my two then young children)  So off we go.  We have 5 miles to go till lunch.  It was beautiful, cold but at least not raining. 

So we almost hit the lunch portion, where we beach and eat, when we come upon a bit of a cluster.  We quickly realize that there had been an accident, a canoe had gone in.  BAD when it is this cold.  Huge proud shout out to the older boy of the canoe.  The younger boy, a first year, had forgotten the number one cardinal rule, besides not standing up, no leaning over the side.  As soon as the they went over, the older boy jumped up and started shouting out for the younger boy until he found him and then got him to shore and somehow up the very muddy and slippery and steep bank! 

We stuck around long enough to see if they needed any of our extra clothes or hot hands and got quite a kick out of seeing their canoe being rowed back up the river on top of two other canoes!  and then we moved on.  We knew they would be ok, they were in capable hands and to many adults in the mix will cause more problems.  They knew what they were doing, so off we went.

So we get to lunch, simple stuff, sandwiches for leaders and whatever the patrols brought for themselves.  Except for the one patrol that forgot to put their cooler in the truck!  So, no lunch for them.  Well, to be fair, they did get to eat, but only after all of the patrols ate and the leaders.  If there was leader food left, we offered it to them, and if there was patrol food left, they could as for some.  The scouts will never be made to go hungry, but they will have to wait and lean a lesson.  and again, no one complained about it.  no one accused anyone...it was just something that happened and they moved on.   

BTW, the wet boys were ok.   The older took some of his dad's clothes and hung his up to dry, the younger boy was given clothes by various leaders and wanted to continue.  My GF and I offered to drive the poor wet cold lad back to camp and sacrifice the rest of our day, but he was good (grin)

So, off we continue.  5 down 5 to go.  It was beautiful!  To be honest, it got a little boring.  The boys were having a blast.  I think some of them went 15 miles in total instead of the 10.  According to my son, it was pinball aquatic style.  They went from shore to shore, zig zagging most of the time. 

The last 1.5 miles were were told, would be a little harder.  We would be meeting up with the mighty Mississippi and going upstream.  The water was calm them so it will be fine.

It was very cool seeing where the Ole' Miss met up with the river we were on.  You could see where the waters were hitting each other. One clear, one very dark brown.  Now the Miss was quite over its banks and it was quite tempting to canoe through the forests!  Some of the other boys did canoe through the grasses, there was no current there.  but they kept getting stuck!  We stuck with the river, stayed out of the grass and woods!

Again, it was quite beautiful, until we rounded one corner and then BOOM!  WIND!  I'm not talking just normal wind!  I'm talking the OMG WHAT WERE WE THINKING, WHY ARE WE HERE, ARE WE GOING BACKWARDS WIND!

That's right.  BACKWARDS!.  We were paddling forwards yet going backwards!  It was insane!  1, 2, 3, 4 switch, 1, 2, 3, 4, switch.  rest for 1 second, go backwards 10 yards, repeat. 

I would have quit but where were going to go?  There was not AAA to call!  it was insane!  but, WE DID IT!  I will never do it again, but I can say, I did!  I canoed the mighty Mississippi and survived!

We got ourselves back to our tents, where it again started raining...changed out of our wet muddy clothes and got ready for dinner.  Again, the boys all had to prepare their own meals.  We did step in on occasion, to remind boys that we don't cut raw meat and then done meat with the same knife without it cleaning it, kind of things.  

i think the cutest part of the day, was when a couple of the new kids asked their patrol leader that if they were done with everything, could they go to bed.  AND THEY DID!  It was still light out, barely even 8 o clock and off then went to bed! 
The next morning, woke up stiff and tired.  I didn't sleep as well as it was colder and wetter.  It was just plain damp.  nothing warms you up from damp. 

We ate pancakes and sausage while the boys prepared their meals.  One patrol forgot to buy breakfast so they waited till we were all done and then they scrounged :) 

Then  patrol lines, police lines, thorns and roses and off to heated seats in my GF's mini van! 

I had a wonderful time.  Despite the cold and the rain. Took a couple of great pictures, didn't lose anything except sleep.  all and all, a great experience.

Would I do it again?  Camping, yes, Canoeing 10 miles and camping in the cold damp rain....probably not.  

My GF and I decided that the next camp out should be about surviving outlet malls and matching discounts with coupons...then....we are so there!